Researchers in Taiwan tracked children’s performance in sports activities such as running, sit-ups, and jumping, and studied how this affected their mental health diagnoses over time.
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A new study conducted in Taiwan has found that children and adolescents who are more physically active have lower rates of mental health disorders.
The study, published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics on Monday, April 29, used anonymous data from Taiwan’s National Student Physical Fitness Test, which measures students’ physical activity in schools, and compared it to the national health research database. Patient diagnosis and other medical information.
Researchers looked at data from students aged 10 to 11, using data from 2009 to 2019, specifically to see progress in physical fitness at school compared to mental health exams. were followed for at least 3 years. Anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, ADHD/ADD.
In this study, we divided the types of physical fitness into several groups. These include cardiorespiratory fitness, measured by each student’s performance on an 800 meter (about 1 mile) run, and muscular endurance, measured by how many sit-ups a student can do. , muscle strength is measured by each student’s standing jump distance, and flexibility is measured by a sit-and-reach test.
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The study found that reduced mental health risks were associated with improved performance in each type of fitness. Aerobic fitness (characterized by half-mile speed 30 seconds faster than she was associated with decreased risk.
In this study, improved muscular endurance (quantified as 5 more sit-ups per minute) was associated with lower risk of depression and ADHD in girls and lower risk of anxiety and ADHD in boys. I found out that Improved muscle performance, or about 8 inches longer in standing jumps, was associated with lower risk of anxiety and ADHD in girls and with less anxiety, depression, and ADHD in boys.
The researchers also found that performance improvements for each fitness activity can be “dose-dependent.” This means that fitness may act as a preventive measure against mental health disorders.
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“This study highlights the potential protective role of cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular endurance, and muscle strength in preventing the development of psychiatric disorders,” the researchers wrote in the study. There is.
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Exercise and mental health have long been linked by scientists, and many experts are advocating for children to be physically active in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In April 2020, the American Psychological Association reported that “physical activity has a small but significant impact on the mental health of children and adolescents between the ages of 6 and 18,” and similarly found that He cited other studies showing a link between health and exercise.
The authors of the study said, “The present findings highlight the need for further research on targeted physical fitness programs,” and that these programs are “primary prevention interventions for mental disorders in children and adolescents.” He pointed out that there is a possibility that it has great potential as a
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